Chinese troops put up fifth tent in Ladakh

Showing no signs of withdrawing from the Indian territory after their incursion in Ladakh two weeks ago, Chinese troops have erected an additional tent in the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector raising to five the number of such structures in the area.

The Chinese troops have also deployed Molosser dogs to keep a vigil, according to latest reports on Monday from the site of incursion, 70 kilometres south of Burtse in Ladakh division. The reports said the Chinese side have increased the number of tents to five.

A banner hoisted outside the camp reads in English "you are in Chinese side" with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) personnel maintaining a round-the-clock vigil along with the Molosser dogs which are considered as the best for keeping a watch in these high-altitude areas, official sources said.

While their officers were armed with Chinese Makarovs, the PLA soldiers had a variant of AK series of assault rifles.

According to a detailed report, the additional tent has come up after three failed Flag meetings between Indian and Chinese Armies at Chashul.

The report said aggressive patrolling by Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) had managed to push back intruding Chinese troops back by at least nine kilometres before they settled down at the present location which is nearly 18 kilometres inside Indian territory in the DBO Sector. The sector is at an altitude of 17,000 feet.

According to a report submitted to the ministries of home and defence, the incursion was detected by the ITBP on the intervening night of April 15 and 16 which sent its Quick Reaction Team which not only prevented the Chinese PLA personnel from further progressing in the area but also pushed them back across the Rakhi Nallah.

The sources said the situation would have further worsened if the ITBP personnel, deployed at the high altitude, had not moved in quickly.

The Chinese, however, halted their retreat and pitched their 'artic' tents well 18 kilometres inside the Indian territory.

The ITBP jawans immediately erected flags with message in Mandarin and English reminding the Chinese troops of "peace and tranquillity agreement and asking them to return to their side".

The face-off between the two sides has since continued even as ITBP jawans are assisted by Ladakh Scouts, an infantry regiment of the Army.